Darwin Military Museum

The Darwin Military Museum, located in the East Point Military Museum complex of Darwin, Australia, houses exhibits and artefacts detailing the role of the city during World War Two.

History of Darwin Military Museum

Darwin, the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory, played a crucial role in the country’s involvement in World War Two. At the start of the war, 10,000 allied troops were sent to the city to defend the nation’s northern coastline from Japanese air attacks. This number would increase to a record of 110,000 troops by 1943. In 1942 Japanese warplanes bombed Darwin, killing at least 243 people, and the Northern Territory was subjected to a further 62 air attacks before 1944.

Darwin Military Museum Today

The museum itself is housed in the original 1940s gun emplacements that were built to defend the city against attack by sea or air. These guns are still in situ and visitors can encircle them as they stroll through the exhibition.

The new and improved Defence of Darwin Experience is an interactive, multimedia exhibition that details Darwin’s history and its role in World War Two. Originally created as an artillery museum, the exhibition features vehicles, uniforms, firearms, images, and paintings alongside artillery pieces.

As well as the exhibitions, it is possible to explore the bunkers that were used by personnel in World War Two as well as military vehicles left in their original positions. As the forefront of Australia’s homeland military action, Darwin was also the base for American forces attempting to free Manila and defend Guinea from Japanese forces.

A small but rapidly expanding and improving museum, the Darwin Military Museum gives the most detailed and personal introduction to the impact of World Wat Two on the Australian mainland. Although focused on WWII, the museum also holds information and articles relating to the entire military history of the Northern Territory.

Getting to Darwin Military Museum

From the centre of Darwin, the museum is a 12 minute drive via E Point Rd and Alec Fong Lim Dr, or is a scenic half an hour cycle via National Highway 1 and Alec Fong Lim Dr.